Leathurkatt
Willingly Shared Info In general I tell people I am a very eclectic person, which tends to confuse a lot of people. I have a lot of varied and unrelated interests which can make some people look at me oddly. That's fine, I don't mind; I know I'm wierd. **winks** I'm generally a pretty easy going kind of person who has been described in Transformers terms as "A mix of Wheeljack and Jazz with a touch of Ironhide on occasion." which honestly I have to agree with. **chuckles** I've been a Transformers fan since age 10, avid Role Player since age 18, and I'm an artist, writer, and all around craftsperson. With regards to Transformers, the first three episodes of the G1 series aired less than one week after my 10th birthday and I've been an avid fan since day one. How Cool Is That?! "What did you get for your birthday?" "I got Giant Sentient Transforming Alien Robots on TV!" No seriously, I did! **laughs** Perhaps eventually I will find a way to get this picture to Peter Cullen. Something spur-of-the-moment inspired me to write a letter despite having no way to send it to him, and I thought I would share it with those who are Transformers fans like me. Maybe you'll agree with what I've written, maybe you won't. Everyone has their own views on things. Dear Mr. Peter Cullen, I feel that it was a grave disservice to both the fans and actors alike that you, Frank Welker, and the others never got to read the letters written to your characters from the kids who loved them. I wish there was a way that you and the other actors could go back and read them, but failing that, I thought I would offer a little insight from my observations, as both a Transformers fan, and having friends who were fans of the show. There are a lot of people who see this two-dimensional animated cartoon about Giant Transforming Alien Robots and think that it’s nothing more than meaningless childishness, believing the fans simply need to grow up, throw away the toys, and get real lives. But it is those closed hearted people who fail to understand the depth of what Transformers really means to the fans. Transformers came during a time when so many kids had their lives turned upside down: kids dealing with constant harassment from bullies at school, kids being abused and ignored at home or at school by adults they’re supposed to trust, kids going through their parents divorce and splitting the family apart, Latch-Key kids who came home to an empty house and waited alone for their parents to get home from work, military kids being forced to move from place to place continuously, kids suffering at the hands of misguided psychologists who believed that medication and hospitalization were the answer to all problems… So many of them had nothing but turmoil and grave instability in their young shattered lives, often with no say or control over what was happening to them. But one thing remained constant and always there: their cartoons. Then on September 17th, 1984 came a cartoon that featured characters with such depth of personality and spirit, they became more than just mere animated drawings on TV, they became real people in the hearts and minds of the kids who loved them. The personality quirks of many Transformers were so much like those of the kids watching the show, they became beloved favourites. These kids would often go outside with their friends to reenact the epic battles they just watched their heroes fight on television. And then there was Optimus Prime. To the Autobots, he was more than a leader; he was their friend, a brother to many of them, even a kind of father figure to some like Bumblebee. They would do anything for him because of their shared respect and even love for their soft spoken leader. He understood that even the best of us make mistakes and he would freely admit when he had erred. Never asking others to do things he would not do himself and rarely raising his voice (except at Megatron); he showed that to truly lead is to do so by deed, not by words or force. But to the kids who watched the cartoon, Optimus Prime became their confidant and their best friend. For some he was the big brother who protected them from the bully at school, whom they saw Optimus chase off every time he fought and defeated Megatron and the other Decepticons. And to some, he became the surrogate father figure, guiding them, teaching them, looking out for them the way he did with Spike, Carley, and Chip on the show. Later on, Optimus Prime became something more. For a number of girls who watched Transformers, as they got older he became their ideal of the perfect mate: honest, faithful, strong, gentle, compassionate, tender, loving, never raising his hand or his voice in anger, and who would literally do anything for the one he loves. Such was the way Optimus was towards Elita 1, and many girls wished to be in her place. A number of boys saw him as the perfect role model to emulate, seeking to be just like Optimus Prime in the hopes that they too would be lucky enough to find true friends and companions, maybe even to attract a true love of their own. When the movie came out and Optimus Prime died, these kids lost their hero, best friend, big brother, surrogate father, teacher, and role model. Such a loss cut them to their core, a wound that was just too much to bear. Optimus was gone and suddenly their dreams, their whole universe fell to ashes around them, and in their anguish the world seemed to just stop, to come to an end in their tear filled eyes. Yet imagine the joy those kids felt when Optimus Prime returned to them, alive and ready to fight once more as he calls out to his friends, “Autobots, Transform and Roll Out!” Optimus is far more than just another cartoon character, more than an icon. He is literally the heart and soul of a whole generation of kids the world over. As his voice, you are the one who breathed life into that strong yet gentle Spark, and your name has become synonymous with his because of it. One day, when you leave this world, the anguish over the death of Optimus Prime back in August of 1986 will pale in comparison to the loss of his heart, soul, and voice. Yet somehow, that soft resonant voice will live on, echoing in the hearts of an entire generation of kids who loved and treasured a tall sentient machine and the man who brought him to life for us all. '' ''Til All Are One, Elley Then I wrote a second letter that deals specifically with why Optimus and Ironhide in particular became two of my favourites. I'm thinking about drawing a picture of those two together and possibly posting it. We'll see what happens. Dear Mr. Peter Cullen, In general, Transformers appealed to me on multiple levels: from my interest in robotics and animatronics, to my fondness for physical puzzles, to my continuous curiosity of how things work or about how things are made and put together. I even used to tear apart my toys just to try and figure out how they worked. I’m an avid reader and have always enjoyed researching things; I get a question in my head and I have to hunt down the answer, and anyone who’s known me for any length of time can attest to this. ‘Giant Transforming Alien Robots’ are literally 3D puzzles to me that I just have to try and figure out. Add to that the interplay between the characters and their in-depth personalities; I was hooked from day one. Plus, the show was doubly cool for me because the opening three episodes first aired in 1984 less than a week after my 10th birthday. “I got Giant Transforming Alien Robots on TV for my Birthday! How cool is that?!” With regard to the colourful characters in the Transformers series, we all have our favourites. Me personally, I have a list. Among those on that relatively short list are Ironhide and Optimus Prime. I thought I would offer my own perspective on them as a long time fan. I think it was Ironhide’s straight forward and honest attitude that made him a favourite of mine. He has a very “If you’re going to do it, do it and get it done now!” kind of personality, which is something I share regarding many things. One thing that has always driven me crazy is when people start a project, stop part way through, start another project, stop part way through, ‘lather-rinse-repeat’ and end up with anywhere from 10 to 30+ projects started that often never get finished. My mother does this continually and it makes me want to pull my hair out. I’m the kind of person who will start a project and end up refusing to stop until it’s finished, much to the occasional frustration of some of my friends. In many ways Ironhide also reminds me of the gravely old uncle sitting back on the front porch, his feet up on the railing, watching the kids play war games in the front yard with squirt guns on a warm summer day. He would then get up, go out to where the kids are gathered and say with a smirk, “Let ole uncle Ironhide show ya how a pro does it!” as he pulls out a super soaker of doom and proceeds to hose down the kids with it as they try to get him with their own water guns. Then after teaching them a few sneak-and-ambush tricks would step back and proudly watch the chaos unfold. Of course Optimus would likely walk up to him and say “What are you teaching them?” to which I can just hear Ironhide reply with “Aw, c’mon Prime, we’re just havin’ a bit o’ fun!” With his gung-ho, go-get-em attitude coupled with a very straight forward and honest bearing, he’s definitely a character that is easy to understand and relate to. That and there are many occasions where something he says or does just cracks me up. Ironhide is one character you can take seriously with a grin, that’s for sure. He knew how to get things done and often managed to have a bit of fun doing it. And then there’s Optimus Prime. What can I say beyond “He’s Optimus Prime!”? He’s one of the more complex characters in the show and trying to pin down just a couple things about him is virtually impossible. There’s just so much there. He’s a leader, friend, brother, hero, and father figure to the Autobots and fans alike, but then he’s so much more than that. We can’t help but love someone who inspires so much in so many people, and Optimus is one of those treasured few who could cross the boundary between fiction and reality and feel more real to us than some of the actual people in our lives. Was it the way he was written that drew people to him? Was it the man behind the voice that made him so memorable? I like to think it’s a little of both. A soft deep voice that spoke of a gentle strength and calmness of spirit, and that spirit resonates with every kid who ever loved him. Can a cartoon character have a soul? Well, if any of them do, it’s Optimus Prime. I think the thing that stands out the most about him is his voice and general manner: soft spoken, calm, gentle, but so very powerful and strong. While he was often stoic and serious, he also knew how to not take himself and life too seriously; from the banter between Optimus and the other Autobots, to Spike teaching him how to play basketball and baseball, to the various taunts he would throw Megatron’s way (“Junk Yard Crap!”), to finding a bit of humor in the most unlikely situations - like when Megatron tried to smash Optimus with a huge boulder only to miss him and take out Rumble instead, Optimus laughed and said “Your aim’s improving, Megatron!” He also would often take quiet moments to step back and look at the world around him just to appreciate the beauty of a sunrise, watch the Aurora Borealis shimmer over head, listen to birds singing or the laughter of children at play, anything to take himself away from the horrors of a seemingly endless war. He never allowed himself to forget how to find joy in even the apparently insignificant little moments in life. It’s a lesson I hold tightly to in my own life: Never let go of the innocence within you, for the day you lose the joy in your heart is the day you truly begin to die. My mother often tells me that I need to grow up because I still do silly little things like play with toys, watch my favourite cartoons, or get incredibly excited over random little things. I refuse to ‘grow up’ and become a bitter, pessimistic, friendless person who sees only a world full of hate. I have far better things to do than to live in fear and be consumed by spite, pain, and regret. Is it mere childishness or an enduring innocence that I so stubbornly hold on to? I like to think it’s the latter. If I learned anything from Transformers, it’s that life is too short to live in hate and fear. Hold onto your dreams, don’t ever let go of even the smallest joys in life, and never forget how to laugh and play. '' ''Til All Are One, Elley Humor Score: Katt-1 Wiki Coding- 0! ("Okay, so me and coding don't get along... BYTE ME!" :P) (Where and how hard? Ya know my crazy ass would bite too!) What they do on the site Primarilly Archiving Role Play threads, also some graphics work and making skins, and general Transformer information guru. Category:Members